Changes in store for Walton beach laws

Regulating tents on the beach, an item loudly protested over the summer, is to be among the items discussed at the meeting.

TOM McLAUGHLIN @TomMnwfdn

SANTA ROSA BEACH — Amendments to Walton County’s ever unpopular beach ordinance will be considered at a public hearing slated for 3 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 12.

Regulating tents on the beach, an item loudly protested over the summer, is to be among the items discussed at the meeting.

In June, the Headley family of Indiana went to the media to protest after being notified by a Walton County deputy and code enforcement officer that the tents they’d purchased after driving 12 hours to vacation were too big for the beach.

“We will initiate a social media campaign to inform folks like us to find another beach that is more friendly to tourists than vendors,” family member Jill Ley told the Walton Sun. “We are extremely upset about this. It is a hugely stupid idea.”

The Headley family’s tents were 9-by-9-feet and county regulations permitted nothing larger than 6-by-6.

Also on the list to be discussed at the public hearing, according to a news release, are regulations regarding swimming, fires on the beach and generators on the beach.

The Board of County Commissioners, who will host the public hearing, also proposes to amend the definition of “special events” and to take another look at permitting costs for special beach events.

County leaders will also discuss prohibiting or providing storage options for beach vendors “at the toe of the dune,” providing clear corridors for movement along the water's edge and the toe of the dune and clear access to the water for lifeguards, the release said.

Commissioners are scheduled to clarify requirements for authorizing vending by upland property owners, and amend provisions of the ordinance relating to the revocation of vending permits and the removal of vending items from the beach during a local state of emergency, the release said.